POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144199, 16 September 1913, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE STONEWALL OPPOSITION HOPES. ♦ 111 BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. .WELLINGTON. Sept. 15. Members of the Opposition Party held a meeting to-day in connection with the obstruction now going on in the House. The Leader of the Opposition (Sir 'Joseph Ward), was not present, as he aid not return from Napier until this evening. No official announcement was made as to the result of tho meeting, but it is, understood that the decision arrived at was to maintain the present state of affairs until the reports were presented. A factor counted upon, it is said, is that tho representatives of the farming community belonging to the Reform Party will force the hands of the Government and insist on some composition being arrived at.

Any such hope, the Chief Government Whip (Mr. D. H. Guthrie) said this evening, was absolutely without foundation. “The x-epresentatives of the farming community on the Government side,” he said, “are prepared to stay here as long as it is necessary to carry through the legislation that is proposed by the Government during the present session, and to show that they are absolutely in earnest in their decision theyx. have addressed a letter on the subject, to the Prime Minister. It is signed by all the country representatives who are present to-day; the others who ax-e not px-esent are each individually vouched, for and will sign the letter on their ariival in Wellington. If it were' necessary to' get a declaration from the representatives of other than fanning communities there would be no other answer than a decision to go on with the business of the session until it is completed. Tho pai-ty was solid and enthusiastic before, but the stonewall that has been going on during the-past day or two has made them more'Solid and more enthusiastic than ever. - A DEFINITE PROMISE.

Mr. Guthrie produced the letter, which reads as follows:—“Wellington, September 15, 19X3. The Hon. the Prime Minister. Sir,—We, the undersigned members of the party, representing or engaged in farming, pursuits, beg to assure you as Leader of the House that, in view of the evident obstructive tactics adopted by the Opposition, we are willing to remain in session until such time as you /are enabled to place on the Statute Book those measures which you have indicated to us would be brought forward this session in the interests of the country.—We are, etc., Frank H. Smith, D. H. Guthrie, Hichard F. Bollard, J. B. Hine, J. G. Gordon Coates, R. Scott. C. A. Wilkinson. D. C. Buchanan, W. Nosworthy, Francis Mander. Vornon H. Reed, John Bollard, Hz Okoy, J. A. Young, J. H. Escott. G. J. Anderson, George R. Sykes.” : The following members representing country constituencies were absent yesterday, but were vouched for by the party Whip in connection with the assuranco.;,.contained in the foregoing letter:—Messrs. G. V. Pearce, H. M. Campbell,'G. .Hunter, E. Newman, T. W. Rhodes, and C. Iv. "Wilson. • A POLICY OF OBSTRUCTION. The blockade established by the Opposition upon the estimates _ still continues and on appearances bids fair to be maintained stubbornly - for some time. The excuse advanced by the Opposition is that no progress will be made while information concerning certain departments is withheld, but this is believed by the Government members to be a mere handleto a general policy of obstruction. It is stated to be the hope of the obstructionists to compel the Government to compromise, through the country members being anxious to return home. To meet this threat in advance the country members have forwarded to the Prime Minister a letter assuring him of their loyalty-and preparedness to stay as long as is necessary. \ The stonewall tactics so far have produced speeches of the deadly dull type, practically unrelieved by colour or incident. Throughout last the blockade was continued I by relays .of Oppositionists and in the early nouns tills morning they took three or foiir divisions in order to drag out the Government members who wd:re resting and so tire them out. ■ By a parliamentary notion the sitting, remains Ffi-, day’s and will continue so till progress is reported. .The House cannot sit tiO then and therefore the business of the country is effectively blockaded by this stonewall in.cpmmittee.